General Chat

I decided to go through, organise and label the boxes of 'stuff' my granny (mum's mum) kept.
I got 1 box (of about 8) down at 10:00 this morning. That's it :-S

I found my dad's insurance for a motor bike (BSA 1935 for those interested) that he had in Haverfordwest in 1958. I found the road we lived in - but all of the houses look too new to be the 'actual' house.

I also found my gran's autograph book.
Inside was a newspaper cutting from The Sun about a candidate for the 1950 elections.

It read:
"ORCHIDS for a lady
Orchids with our admiration, to a young lady who revels in fighting against the odds.
Doreen Lees, 28 year old daughter of a wealthy squire, took on the Germans by joining up with the French Red Cross in Normandy, and then won a Croix de Guerre fighting with the underground.
Although her mother is on the North Dorset Conservative Committee, "Dodo" took on Brendan Bracken in Bournemouth East. Yes, of course, she lost.
She has our congratulations - and our orchids - for another courageous fight."

I was somewhat astonished at the patronising tone.
Dodo was 17 when the war started, and 23 when it finished - yet she'd won the Croix de Guerre! Probably more than the reporter managed to achieve in his lifetime.

Dodo was standing as a Labour candidate against Brendan Bracken (Conservative) - Minister of Information 1941 - 1945.

Why did granny have this cutting?
Well, I have this granny's (Gran S) Labour Party membership 'ticket' from 1925 - when she was 21.
My other gran (gran D) married my dad's stepdad in 1942 (dad was 16).
This man (D) was a retired Lt Commander - and a Conservative Agent in Cornwall.
They moved from Cornwall to the New Forest in about 1946 - when D became the agent for Sir Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre - Conservative prospect for the New Forest..

My parents married in 1947.

Gran S was living in, and was a member of the New Milton Labour Party.
After my parents marriage, she also became a member of the New Forest Labour Party (I have the membership 'tickets')

Crosthwaite-Eyre was Conservative MP for the New Forest from 1950 to 1968.

D died in 1952, was buried in Christchurch, with his first wife, and Gran D, moved back to Cornwall.

...and this is why genealogy takes me so long! :-\

Crosthwaite was my grandfather's middle name! I think it is a place in the lake district.

Florence in the hebrides

Been doing a big sort out of the study

Loads of paper shredded and why was I keeping that crap!

Did find newspaper cuttings of thanks to neighbours and friends for flowers on the death of dad and then mum

Also a newspaper cutting of the 100th birthday of mums half sister born in 1906

Precious treasures to me <3

Problem is, Shirley, my crap is vintage/antique!!